MINILESSON Learn from the Text and the Text Features CONNECTION Emphasize that different species of plants have the same important parts. Channel students to discuss what they’ve learned about those parts. Connect this to the parts of books. “You’ve been learning about different species of plants. Quick, give your partner a few examples of different species of plants.” “What’s amazing is that, even though there are more than 400,000 different species of plants, in all different sizes and shapes, almost all plants have the same three parts. They almost all have leaves, stems, and… yes, roots! Right now, take one of those parts, and with your partner, list everything you know about that part of plants.” “Just like most all plants have some of the same parts, most all nonfiction texts have some of the same parts. Most nonfiction books contain text features. Think with me about the text features that can be found in most nonfiction books: headings, subheadings… Call out others.” Use an all-call signal, letting voices chime in from across the meeting area. “I agree. Most nonfiction texts contain not only headings and subheadings, but also pho- tographs and captions, key words and sidebars, indexes and glossaries. Skilled nonfiction readers understand that everything on the page matters. Skilled readers read text boxes and captions and glossaries as closely as they read the paragraphs.” Name the teaching point. “Today I want to remind you that to learn from a text, it’s important to remember that everything on the page is there for a reason. The diagrams, photos and captions are filled with critical information. Readers study all the text features to add to the information in the paragraphs.” Add a new sticky note to the “Nonfiction Readers Research New Topics” anchor chart. TEACHING Demonstrate how you reread a page, identifying the text features and using them to better comprehend the text. “Will you help me reread a part from Plants in Different Habitats , this time paying careful attention to the text features? Here goes.” Project page 6. “Oh, I’m already noticing some text features on this page, are you? I see a heading—‘Photosynthesis.’ Call out what you’re noticing too. Yes, a bunch of key words that are bolded: photosynthesis, chlorophyll, absorbs, carbon dioxide , and oxygen . And a diagram—you’re right—with labels around it too. Wow! That’s a lot of text features to study on one page. “Let’s start by reading the text and the key words. Then we can study the diagram and think about how that fits with the rest.” Read aloud the heading and the first paragraph. “Wow, there were a bunch of bolded key words in that part. I’m getting the gist of what photosynthesis means. The text said it is when plants use sunlight to make food. But I don’t totally get what chlorophyll means. Since it’s bolded, let me check in the glossary and see if it’s defined there.”
Projecting an image of a plant with these parts labeled can especially help MLL learn- ers.
In Unit 1, you introduced stu - dents to an all-call signal, a reli- able gesture you use when you want to invite all students to call out a response at the same time. This is a great way to boost participation, and it’s especially supportive for multilingual learn- ers since it provides low-stakes opportunities to respond.
Nonfiction Readers Research New Topics
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Bend I • Strengthen Nonfiction Research Skills: Researching Plants
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